Welcome to day 2 of the 2026 One With Them Challenge.
When we think of Christian captives, we generally think of prisoners. We might even think of abductees who are held because of their faith. One of the common types of captives that we often overlook is those who are held captive by their families.
Their situations are harder to discover and can often go unseen for far too long.
Take the story of Susan. When Susan was a teenager, her father discovered that she had been baptized, so he locked her in a small, airless room for three months.
She was kept alive by her brother digging a hole under the door to provide her with food and water when their father wasn’t around.
Susan’s situation was discovered when neighbours started to wonder where she was and found the room she was locked in.
Susan’s road to recovery was years long, but she continued to hold on to faith in Jesus.
In many places across the globe, Christians are being held under house arrest simply because they choose to follow Jesus. They may be constantly monitored or isolated in their own homes, cut off from the church. Today, they need our prayers.
Today's Challenge
As an act of solidarity, today’s challenge is to “lock” yourself up in a small space for a set period of time. You can use a closet or just mark a spot on the floor that you won’t leave. Also, you can’t have a phone, a tv, and, if you are physically able, no comfy chair.
Ten minutes. Thirty minutes. Maybe longer. You choose the time, but allow yourself to experience what it is like for a believer locked in their own house because of their faith.
This is a small taste of what believers living under house arrest might face, not just physically, but spiritually. Use the time to reflect, to pray, or simply to sit in stillness before God.
Pray
Take time to pray today for Christians living under house arrest. Their situations are often hidden from neighbours, authorities and the global church, but they are never hidden from God. We might not know their names, but God does – ask Him how you should pray for them today.